Putting the human element front and centre in an AI-driven threat landscape.
At first glance, the phrase “AI-proof cybersecurity” might sound appealing — the idea that a business can deploy technology and simply switch off threats. But the reality is far more nuanced.
As artificial intelligence becomes more deeply embedded in both defensive and offensive cyber-operations, the question we must ask is not just “Can we be AI-proof?” but rather “How do we become resilient in a world where AI is both tool and weapon?”
On the defensive side, AI offers substantial promise — from automated threat detection, anomaly‐monitoring, intelligent log-analysis, to rapid incident response. Yet at the same time, cyber criminals are leveraging AI tools too.
For example, generative AI is now being used to craft highly convincing phishing emails, to personalise social engineering campaigns, and even to generate malicious code at scale.
That means: the adversary’s tooling is improving, the velocity is increasing, the range of targets is expanding. So if you believe simply “buying a tool” renders you AI-proof, that’s a misconception. The technology is evolving on both sides.
We should be asking: “Can we be resilient in the face of AI-driven threats?” not “Are we immune to them?”
Because attackers using AI are still relying on human vulnerabilities (trust, urgency, distraction) rather than just purely technical exploits.
Because even the best technical defence can be circumvented by a cleverly disguised phone call, fake video conference, or impersonated executive.
Because the moment you assume “we’re safe”, you often become complacent — and that’s exactly what attackers count on.
In short: Defence tools must evolve — but so must the human guardrails around them.
One of the most insidious risks on the horizon is not necessarily a zero-day exploit, but rather a scenario where someone receives a message (or a Teams/Zoom call) they believe comes from their boss, asking for an urgent payment to a new bank account. Or they see a “live” video call of an executive, a voice they recognise, telling them to send funds or transfer files.
AI is raising the bar for these attacks in three key ways:
AI-generated voice and video tools mean that fraudsters can more convincingly impersonate senior managers or trusted external contacts. Suddenly the old “phone call from the boss at 6pm asking for a favour” becomes far more believable.
Rather than generic “Dear Sir/Madam” emails, an attacker can probe publicly-available (or breached) data, deduce your organisational structure, find the finance team staff, craft a message referencing yesterday’s meeting, a real project, or a particular vendor. The result: phishing that blends in, looks like everyday business correspondence.
Because AI automates much of the “create convincing content” step, attackers can launch many more campaigns, often cheaper and faster—and with greater customisation.
Put simply: while technical defences (firewalls, anti-malware, patching) remain essential, the “endpoint” of most successful attacks is often the person on the other side of the keyboard.
So is cybersecurity AI-proof? The short answer: no. You cannot guarantee absolute immunity simply by buying the latest gadget or switching on AI defenders. But you can become resilient, agile and human-aware.
In a world where attackers harness AI for realism, speed and scale, the most important line of defence is the person who receives the message and says: “Something about this doesn’t feel right — I’m going to verify it.”
At EBC Group, we invite you to shift the mindset: from “Are we safe?” to “When we are targeted, will we respond appropriately?”. Because in this evolving cyber-arms race, it’s the combined strength of technology and human judgement that will keep you one step ahead.